Rio defends embattled England stars

RIO Ferdinand has slammed suggestions England's players are not hungry for success but claimed anyone incapable of handling the pressure has "no right" to be part of the squad. England's disappointing goalless draw in Israel means the team will be under an even more intense spotlight during Wednesday night's European Championship qualifier with minnows Andorra.

RIO Ferdinand has slammed suggestions England's players are not hungry for success but claimed anyone incapable of handling the pressure has "no right" to be part of the squad.

England's disappointing goalless draw in Israel means the team will be under an even more intense spotlight during Wednesday night's European Championship qualifier with minnows Andorra.

Just two point points from the last nine have put a doubt over whether Steve McClaren's side will qualify for the 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland.

But Ferdinand is adamant the pride and desire of of the players is one area that should not be questioned.

The Manchester United star said: "I hear some people say 'you're not hungry enough' and that makes me laugh.

"Yes, we're in a sport where we are lucky that we're being paid loads of money and we're not going to disregard that.

"But for our clubs, you don't hear that. When Chelsea won the Premiership last year, when Liverpool won the European Cup two years ago, you didn't hear that.

Get-out

"You don't hear it when people win things. It's only when it goes a bit pear-shaped that people say 'he's too rich, start looking at the money and saying we're pampered'. It's too easy an excuse that people use too often.

"I think players apply themselves on the pitch and the training ground, regardless of whether they are on two shillings or a million pounds a day.

"It's just an easy get-out for people to talk about the money.

"You don't hear that about a lot of American sportsmen. The footballers, baseball, basketball players are on the same money, if not a lot more than what we're earning, but you rarely heard it said.

"It's about pride but name me a player who hasn't got pride when he goes out there for England and has a desire to do well for their country? People say players don't show enough passion but name me a player that doesn't do that?"

However, Ferdinand added: "Being an England player is pressure and if you can't deal with that then you've got no right to be part of the squad.

"If you can't handle the pressure, you don't deserve to be in the England dressing room. That's what I think."